Over coffee this morning my wife and I were talking about the dates for the get together and if we would have enough to deal with the increased price of gas to do anything this year.

So I clicked on here and found this thread on my way to seeking out further information. I thought that I was invisible to you guys so I have just been on the sidelines for a while. I have also been involved in some unrelated projects centered around Simmons Sea Skiffs. I have designed and built what some may consider a mini Simmons in 12 foot. I have also designed the boat for a mid range size of 13'7" and in 14 foot that will hopefully be marketable in one off. I ned some funds to offset the costs associated with the OPEC flu.

I wanted a lapstrake tender in wood also for a larger amount of cargo for gunkholing too. I did two versions of the 12 footer. I also wanted to have the luxuary of removing all of the parts so I could service and paint the insides and also for ease of cartopping or on a canoe rack in the bed of a truck which I accomplished. Also in the first model I made two position seating so I could also row the boat with ease from the center point of pivot which worked out perfect, but no pictured in this latest launching.

The bow deck allows me to store all necessary gear including the fuel tank and anchor out of the way having the full space of the decking open. All of the deck boards are easily lifted out . The boat weighs in at 180 with all working parts and empty at 163lb.

The first one shows the smaller bow area which with a few modifications with twiking the angles I made larger in the second one.
This shows the option and also shows how nice the fishing gear is also out of the way.
And yes I have also gotten the skunk out of the original hull, making sure that the boat did indeed function up to specs.

Yes thats the one. It took almost two years and some fancy imagination to make that boat proper as the engine is a bit oversized for the hull weights and bottom area. But when finished, the boat topped out at 46 mph and still needed to turn another 900 rpms. but was just too quick even when running straight. I could turn the boat on a dime and it gave me fifteen cent change and kept right on going if you were able to hold on tight to the helm. Its a bit tough with the fuel prices towing but hopefully we will be able to at least make it with the small hull if I do not sell it first on a canoe type rack, custom built to fit in the bed of the crew cab truck for hauling it. Its liteweight enough to flip it over and cartop too if a car is equipped with the Yakima roof racks. SO we shall see.

I am in the process of building a custom bassboat-flats boat Simmons, 22', all trimmed in mahogany, completely revolutionary to the original designs. The boat has a deep freeboard and will have full casting platform for open water flyfishing with the safety net of being able to lean on a nice coaming and covering boards, with side seating aft to a double console arrangment also allowing for a full nine feet fishing deck, all open and unobstructed aft of the helm seats.

Yes but the album was hacked just about the time I was in the finish stage and deleted the process shots since it was not password protected. I made an attempt to share the process and forwhatever reason the shots went missing. I have all the shots on a disc but have not had the time or the desire to go back through the steps to recreate the linking.

I doubt that I will bring that one, as its now up on the Chesepeake Bay with a friend. If you have any serious interest, arrangments could be made to visit and even seatrial that boat. I can tell you one thing and that its mighty quick and do not expect your hat to stay on for any length of time unless you use super glue.

I have an 18 thats also water ready that was built in 1991 too. There is also an 18 thats in the Tampa area which is really a neat one, done right with a center console thats not overbearing like some of the disasters that you may have seen from some folks that think they can put 20 lbs in a five pound sack and not ruin the boat